| Tier One supplier Faurecia has
developed a lightweight air bag lid for passenger and knee airbag modules.
The components improve safety for vehicle occupants and help reduce vehicle
weight.
Most invisible airbag lids are made from a stiff material such as hard
plastic or sheet metal. They require careful positioning to prevent contact
with out-of-position passengers.
Details of the material the Tier One supplier used are not known but Faurecia
has been developing a lid with foam.
The lightweight plastic design improves safety because it has less kinetic
energy than existing designs as it deploys and so is less likely to damage
occupants or the windshield.
Faurecia’s product line director for cockpits, instrument panels
and consoles, Didier Thalgott, said: “It will reach the market next
year on a GM car.
“It will help OEMs to get six stars in future Euro NCAP tests, because
of its light weight and low risk of damage to the windscreen.”
A soft airbag lid would make designing the cockpit easier because the
lid could be placed very close to the windscreen. This could free up space
for storage bins or a larger glove box.
© Automotive Engineer, 2007 |
|
